I have been back from the Melbourne trip a busy few days. We had the opening of the Dickerson Exhibition, I had Freda Lane and Angilyiya Mitchell with me. I think it went well, we certainly had some lovely work there.

I was able to take the beautiful spinifex miniatures in to Chapman and Bailey for mounting, ready for the Melbourne Art Market as well as a good collection of smaller artworks for stretching.

It is always a bit testing travelling with artists, they find the environment strange and frightening, the main desire for the women is to go shopping and eat. We stayed at a lovely little apartment, close to many facilities and I was able to supply both the shopping expedition and plenty of tucka.

I took the women to the Aquarium, angilyiya in particular was stunned by the big sharks swimming above her head .... it was a joy to participate in this expidition.

The ladies back on the plane to Ayers Rock, I headed to Adelaide. I had the weekend in relative leisure with my daughter and grandson, then a frantic two days getting things ready for the Melbourne Art Market. I had arranged for paintings to be sent to my house in Adelaide so I could sort them and get the paperwork ready for the Melbourne market.

Back to Melbourne and in to meet Mike Stitfold from Kayili for our stall set up. A bigger job than either Mike or I expected but satisfying. I had gambled on presenting the miniature paper works in a more expensive setting, putting some of the name artists tiny works up against the major canvas artists. I really wanted to see how they would compete. I have to say in that market they competed very well indeed. I was thrilled to see the little Angilyiya Mitchell and Jean Lane works go to good homes. It was also fun at the market to meet with people who were loving the Blackstone work, buying from galleries and who I had never met.

After packing up I headed back to the rock on Tuesday, a big drive back to Blackstone on Wednesday and exhausted I was back in my ATCO donga at Blackstone.

Now it is on to the Blackstone Festival, a big party really, followed by the Blackstone Walk ....!!!!

A pretty happening place this Blackstone.

Pukurlpa-la Lurrtjurriwa Papulankutjala

Come and join in all the fun at Blackstone.

Tuesday 6th May to Saturdayth May 2008

This year dance will be the focus of the festival, funded by ARTBACK NT in collaboration with Ngaanyatjarra Council, Desart and Papulankutja Artists. Thisbe Purich is coordinating the event and calling all dancers from surrounding communities to come to Blackstone.

Artists come, bring your swag and spend a few days with us at Blackstone।

• On Tuesday we will open the evening with a community BBQ followed by an after dinner film night held with assistance from the Blackstone Youth worker।
• There will be the usual fun with art and craft, Glass jewellery making with Gerry and Tarn from Margaret River complementing the spinifex fibre jewellery making with the paper worker team। T-Shirt printing fun with Jodie. Tjanpi Jo will workshop with spinifex atists and buy finished work. Jo is also bringing renowned fibre artists Maria Fernanda Cardoso who is seeking inspiration and creating work for a major fibre installation.
• Encore appearance of the very popular beauty salon, this year run by Liz Bredemeyer and her team of Land Rover Club members।
• Art centre business with Desart on Thursday 8th May।
• Fantastic dance concert on Thursday which will be a culmination of dance workshops held in Blackstone and surrounding communities over a period of 4 weeks।
• Friday night special Festival Bumper Disco।
• Continuing over the weekend with intercommunity youth sports activities coordinated by Brett of the Ngaanyatjarraku Shire youth team।
• By special request, Thisbe will once again host the famous or infamous Bingo Night …. Woohoo!!!!
  
  Further information and bookings for workshops from Dianna at the Art Centre.
  Phone: 08 8956 7586 or email artists.papulankutja@bigpond.com